A Thane of Wessex by Charles W. Whistler

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Now was the ring of Danes parted, and the ring was of our men; yet roundit raged the vikings, as we had raged round their ring but a short spacebefore. Yet, every man of us knew that we had won, for, even if each oneof us fell before Eanulf came, the ships would not sail that tide. Forthe tall masts were listing over as two ships took the ground unheeded,and four were hauling out as the tide fell.

And I thought of my vision last night, and of those I had seen, and ofwhat they had bid me think of them; and the roar of battle went onunheeded by me as I leant against the standard staff while I might, andfound my strength again.

"See," cried Wislac, pointing. And I looked over to the hill where theroad came down. It was full of horsemen, charging with levelled spears,and surely that was Osric at their head! Then near me a voice criedthrice "Victory!" but it seemed not as one of our men's rough voices,but very strange.

Over the level the spearmen swept, and a cry broke from the Danes asthey saw the fresh foe upon them, and again they fell back from usquickly, and, spite of our charge on them, and the spears of the leadinghorsemen, once more closed up into their iron ring. But now it was notmotionless, but moved ever towards the ships, going backward steadily.

Round it went Osric and his men: but into it they could not break. Forthe Danes hewed the ash shafts of the spears, and near them no horsemight live, for their axes would shear through man and horse alike.

Then Ealhstan shouted to Osric, bidding us stand. And right glad were weto do this, while ever the Danes shrank away from us.

"Trapped they are, Sheriff," said Ealhstan, when Osric rode up to him,bearing still a headless spear. "Let them bide till Eanulf comes. Nonecan reach the ships."

"He is hard behind me with all the levy," said Osric. "Let us finishthis without him."

But Ealhstan shook his head, pointing to our men. And when he lookedmore coolly, he saw that barely half of us were left, and those wornout. So must we stand and wait; but we had done what we went to do, andhad trapped the heathen when the tide was low. Yet the Danes wentsteadily back towards their ships, having yet half a mile to cover, butthey left a line of wounded men to mark where they had gone, as oneafter another dropped.

Now were we who were left safe, and knew we had done a deed which wouldhe told and sung till other tales of victory blotted out its remembranceif they might.

Then Ealhstan bade us sit down, for our horsemen were between us and thefoe, and thereon he raised his voice, and with one accord his laybrethren and his own housecarles joined in singing a psalm of victory.And it was just at the matin time--yet that psalm ended not as it waswont, for ere the last verses were sung, it was drowned in a great andthundering war song of Wessex, old as the days of Ceawlin or beyond him.And if I mistake not, in that song bishop and lay brethren joined,leaving the chant for their own native and well-loved tongue, else wouldthey have been the only men of all the host unstirred thereby and silent.

Now, from that war song came a strange thing. It caused two great Danesto go berserk in their rage, and back they flew on us, their shieldscast aside, and their broad axes overhead, howling and foaming as theycame.

One of Osric's men tried to stop them. But he and his horse fell, for (Isay truth) one leapt high above the horse, smiting downwards with hisaxe, so that the man was swept in twain under that blow, and the berserkDane came on unhindered, straight for the standard, for his comrade hadhewed off the horse's head.

Now I rested, by the standard, a long spear's length in front of ourline. But by this I had leapt to my feet; and it was time, for he wasalmost on me. Spear had I none; so I dragged out the standard shaft fromthe ground where I had struck it, and levelled that sharp butt end fullat his chest. Overhead was his axe again, and I had no shield to stopthe blow; but I must leap aside from it.

He paid no heed to the spear-ended shaft, but rushed straight on it,spitting himself through and through, while his axe fell; but I hadwrenched myself and the shaft at once to one side, and he fell over,burying the axe head in the ground but an inch from the collier's foot.Yet had he not done with me, for, leaving the axe, he clawed the ashenshaft and dragged himself up along it, howling, not with the pain, butwith madness, and I must needs smite him with my sword, for his daggerwas already at my throat.

Then looked I round for the other, but at first could not see him, forhe was dead also, pinned to the ground by another of the horsemen, frombehind. And all our men were on their feet, and the ring of Danes wereshouting, and cheering their two mad men, yet keeping close order.

This seems long in telling; but it was all done in a flash, as it were,for the first I knew of the coming of these men was by the wheeling ofthe horse and the leaping of the berserk above it.

Then my men came and rid the standard of its burden, not easily, whileEalhstan stood with his arm on my shoulder, looking white and scared:for that had been the greatest danger he had seen that day, as he toldme, which, indeed, it must have been, for else he had never changedcountenance.

"Gratias Domino," he said, "verily into these heathen evil spiritsenter, driving them to death. Now have you fought the evil one, bothspiritually and bodily, my son, and have won the victory!"

Even as he spoke, the men, being sure of no more of such comings, beganto crowd round me, shouting and cheering as though I had done some greatdeed. Which, if it were such, it seems to me that great deeds are forcedon men at times; for what else I could have done I know not, unless, asWislac says, I had run away, even as he was minded to do. But I had notime for that, nor do I believe his saying concerning himself.

When the Danes were nigh their ships Ealhstan bade us tend our wounded.And the first man tended was myself, for Wulfhere came to me, looking meover, and at last binding a wound on my left shoulder, of which I knewnot, saying that my good mail had surely saved me. He himself had a gashacross his face, and Wislac one on the leg, but none of us was much hurt.

Then Wislac sought Aldhelm, whom he found sitting up, dazed, from a blowacross the helm that had stunned him, but he was soon able to walk,though dizzy and sick. But Guthlac was slain outright, and two others ofthe brethren.

Well, so might I go on, for of all our two hundred men there were leftbut ninety fit to go on with the fight, the rest being slain or sorewounded by the Danish axes. Ealhstan was unhurt; for, save that oncewhen he had broken the ring to reach us when we were hemmed in, his menhad kept before him.

Now what befell after that will not bear telling; for it was not longbefore Eanulf and all the Somerset and the rest of the Dorset levy camedown and fell on the Danes as they fought their last fight as brave menshould, with a quarter mile of deep mud between them and their ships.

Into that fight none of us bishop's men went, for we had done our part.But we lay and saw the Danes charge again and again against odds, theirline growing thinner each time, until our men swept the last of themfrom the bank into the ooze, and there was an end.

Yet a few managed, I know not how, to reach the ships, and there theywere safe; but thence they constantly shot their arrows into our men,harmless enough, but yet showing their mettle.

So was a full end made of that host, for none but those few were leftalive from Stert field, and Somerset and Dorset had taken their fill ofvengeance.

But, for all the victory, down sat Ealhstan the Bishop, and hiding hisface in his hands wept that such things could be, and must be till waris no more.

CHAPTER XVI. AT GLASTONBURY.

On that hard-won field we lay all that day, for we knew not if moreDanes were left up country, or if by chance the ships might fall intoour hands with the rising tide. And I think we might have taken them hadnot our men, in their fury, broken the boats which lay along the bank;so that we could not put off to them. Therefore, as the tide rose againand they floated, the men on board hauled out, and setting sail withmuch labour, for there were very few in each ship, stood off into midchannel. Out of Severn they could not get, for the wind was westerly,and the tide setting eastward, so at last they brought up in the lee ofthe two holms, and there furled sail and lay at anchor.

Very stiff and sore were we when we had rested for a little, and therefell a sadness on the levy, now that the joy of battle had gone, and thecost of victory must be counted. And that was heavy, for so manfully andsteadily had the vikings fought that they had accounted for man to manas nearly as one might count, either slain or maimed.

Now on this matter I heard Wislac speak to Aldhelm, who sat facing him,and holding his aching head with both hands.

"I know not, nor care," said Aldhelm. "All I wot is that my head is liketo split."

"Nay, that will it not, having stood such a stout blow," said Wislac,laughing. "Cheer up, and count our score of heads."

"I can count but one head, and that my own. Let it bide."

"So, that is better," said Wislac. "I should surely have been slain fivetimes by my own count, but it seems I am wrong. Wherefore I must haveescaped somehow. And that is all I know about it."

Then he turned to me, and asked if I had noted any doings at all.

And when I thought, all I could remember plainly were the fall of thetall chief I slew, and the coming of Ealhstan, and the attack of theberserk, and no more; all the rest was confused, and like a dream. So Isaid that it seemed to me that we had had no time to do more than mindourselves, but that withal my shield wall had kept the standard. Andthat kept, there need be no question as to who had done best.

Then Wislac nodded, after his wont, and said that if Aldhelm was contentso was he.

Whereupon Aldhelm held out his hand, and said that Wislac was wise andhe foolish. And Wislac, grasping it, answered that it was a luckyfoolishness that had brought so stout a comrade to his side, for had itnot been for Aldhelm putting his thick head betwixt him and an axe,slain he would have been.

"Aye, brother," he said, "deny it not, for I saw you thrust yourselfforward and save me by yourself, which doubtless is your way of settlinga grudge, brother, and a good one."

So those two were sworn friends from that day forward, as were manyanother couple who met on that field for the first time, fighting sideby side for Wessex.

Thus wore away the day and the next night, and with the morning thoseships were yet under the holms, swinging at their anchors, for thewesterly breeze held.

Then said Eanulf: "Let them be; harm can they do none, being so few.They will go with the shift of wind."

But the shift of wind came not for days and days, and there they lay,never putting out from shelter. And they are out of my story, so that Iwill say what befell them.

One night it freshened up to a gale, and in the morning there were fiveships where six had been. One had sunk at her moorings. Then men saidthat the Danes had made a hut on the flat holm, plain to be seen fromthe nearest shore. And at last a shift of wind came, and they put not out.

So certain fishers dared to sail across and spy what was amiss, andfinding no man in the ships, nor seeing any about the hut, went ashore,none hindering them.

Ships and hut and shore were but the resting place of the dead, forafter a while they had no food left, and were too few and weak even toman one ship and go.

Many a long year it was before the king of their land, Norse or Dane,whichever he was, learned what had befallen his host, and how theirbones lay on the Wessex shore and islands, for not one of all that hadsailed that spring returned to give the news, or to tell how hiscomrades died on Stert fighting to the last, and on the island wishingthey had fallen with the slain.

Now must I tell how we went back to Glastonbury town, marching proudlyas became conquerors, while on every side was shouting of men, and atthe same time weeping of women for those who had fallen.

When we came to the great square there stood Tatwine the Abbot and allhis monks; but I had no eyes for them. For there, with abbess and nuns,stood Alswythe, smiling on me through tears of joy, and though hercheeks were thinner and paler by reason of fasting and prayer for usall, looking most beautiful, and to me like a vision of some saint.

That was all I could see of her then, for we must kneel, while a greatTe Deum was sung, and then crowd into the abbey to hear mass once more.

Then after that was over, there was a great feast in the wide hall ofthe abbey, where Ealhstan and Eanulf sat side by side in the high seats,and on their right, Osric and myself, and on the left, Wulfhere andWislac, none grudging those chief places to the men who had kept thestandard and broken the Danish ring.

When the feasting was done, then came the telling of great deeds overthe ale cup, and that lasted long, and many were the brave men praised;nor were the deeds of the vikings, as brave foes, forgotten, for menpraised them also. Moreover, the gleemen sang of the fight, and in thosesongs my name came so often, as needs it must, seeing that I bore thestandard, that I will not set them down. Nor is there need, for thehousecarles sing them even yet.

Now before we went to rest, Eanulf bade me wait on him early in themorning, and so, being refreshed by a long, quiet night, I went to himas he had bidden me.

There he thanked me as man to man for that crossing of Parret, and forstaying the going of the Danes, saying that a greater man than he shouldadd to the thanks. For needs must that one took word of all that hadbefallen to Ethelwulf the King, and that to be such a messenger was mosthonourable. Therefore should I myself bear the news, taking with me mytwo friends and such men as I chose, and should bear, written down, thereports of both Osric and Ealhstan, besides his own.

"Else," said he, "there are perhaps some to whom credit is due whosenames may pass unmentioned."

And thanking him, I said that that was likely, for I knew few in thelevy, which came from far and wide.

Whereat he laughed, saying that I was either very modest or very simple.So I knew that he spoke of myself, and thanked him again.

"Nay," he said, "small thanks to me, for if I did you not justice themen would."

Then all of a sudden he asked me about the business of my trial, andwhat I thought of it, bidding me tell him as a friend, thinking naughtof the judge.

And that I was able to do now without passion, so far off and small athing it seemed after all these stirring doings. And I knew that but forit I had been only a foolish thane, and slain maybe over my feasting inmy own hall, or on Combwich hill, with my back to the foe, beside Matelgar.

Now when I had ended my tale and my thoughts concerning it, he told methat he had found out much of late, as he and the thanes spoke togetherhere while waiting for the levy, and that word should go to the king ofthe whole matter, so that without waiting for the Moot, he should inlawme again.

Then I knew not enough to say; but he clapped me on the shoulder, sayingthat he had been an unjust judge for once, and that I must be heedful ifever I sat in his place, and so bid me go and find my friends--and getready to ride to Salisbury, where the king lay, having moved fromWinchester nearer to us.

That went I to do with a light heart, and only sorry that I might notsee Alswythe before I went.

And this I told Wislac, who looked oddly at me, and then laughed, sayingthat he believed I feared an old nun more than a wild berserk. And trueit was that I was afraid of that stately abbess, though not in the sameway as one fears a raging madman flying on one.

"Pluck up courage," said he, "and go and ask the old dame to let youhave speech with your lady; and if she grants it not, I am mistaken, forthe lady is not one of her nuns, and there is a guest chamber for suchfolk as bishop's right-hand men, surely!"

That was good counsel, and so I went to the nunnery, trembling firstbecause I was afraid, and next lest I might not see Alswythe.

Now that wondrous silver mail of mine was too easily known, and so soonas I got out into the street, the beggar men began to shout and crawltowards me. And then others looked, and ran, and then more, till therewas a crowd of men of the levy pressing round me, stretching hands topat me and the like.

Then one stood in front of me, hands on hips, and stared at me, and allat once he shouted: "Ho, comrades, this is the saint of Cannington hill!I saw him there, and soundly did he rate me for running, even as Ideserved."

And at that there was a mighty shouting and crowding, so that I could inno wise go on my way, and I began to wax wroth.

My back was to the abbey gates, which were closed after me by theporter, and just then I saw some of the men look up over my head andpoint, and laugh; so I turned round, and there were Eanulf and Osric onthe gateway battlements, looking on, as drawn thither by the noise. Andjust then Eanulf, laughing, made some sign or speech which I could nothear, to the men, who cheered; and soon they brought a great shield andon that set me, in spite of myself, raising me up shoulder high andsaluting me as the man who had gained all the honour and victory. Theremust I lie still, lest I should fall and be made to look more foolishyet, and when I sat up, crosslegged thereon, they stopped shouting andstared at me.

"Let me down, ye pigs!" said I, very cross, and unmindful of the honourthey would do me.

"Speak to us, Thane; speak to us," they cried; and one--he who knew meat Cannington after the first fight--added:

"Aye, Thane, you made us strong again on the hill the other day--blaming us rightly. Praise us now if that may be."

Then I cast about for what to say, not being a great hand at speaking,though maybe, when real occasion is, the words have come fast enough.Howbeit, this was in coolness. But I knew that they were worthy ofpraise, so I said:

"Well have ye done, every man of you, even as I knew ye would when onceye turned to bay. And if the Danes come again, as I think they will notspeedily, fight as ye fought at Stert, and there will be victory again."

Then they cheered and shouted again, louder than before; and I made toleap down, but they would not suffer me.

Then said I: "Let me go, for I have an errand."

Whereupon the men who held the shield, and could hear me amid theslackening uproar, asked where I would go, and being dazed by the noiseand tumult, like an owl in daylight, I must needs answer, withoutthinking; "To the great nunnery."

And the end of that foolishness was that they bore me thither, for itwas not far, with a great crowd of all sorts following and shouting. Andthere must I stand with all that tail after me while they beat on thegates in such sort that the poor nuns must have thought the Danes attheir doorstep.

But I held up my hand for silence, not thinking it would come; but as itwere by nature longing for it. And instantly all the crowd was hushed,and that surprised me, though when I told Wulfhere thereof he said itwas no wonder.

Seeing which I begged them all to go away and not scare the holy women,who were used to quiet in the place. And then I remembered the honourthe honest warriors had meant this for, and thanked them, bidding themmake allowances for my being put out at first.

Then took they off their helms and shouted thrice; and then fledrapidly, for the gates opened behind me, and there was the abbessherself, with her cheeks red, and her eyes burning bright in anger, as Ithought, while behind her peeped all her nuns at the crowded street, andat myself standing shamefaced on the steps, doffing my helm as I saw her.

But instead of being angry, she held out both her hands, and spokekindly, saying; "Never has our quiet place heard such clamour before;but we women will not be behind the men in welcoming Heregar;" and soshe bade the nuns come forward, laying her hands on my shoulder, andadding; "See, daughters, this is he who dared to warn the land of itsdanger, saving the lives of our sisters of Bridgwater, and many others,and who has even now led the host and conquered, giving us safety andpeaceful rest again."

But I knelt and kissed her hand, while there went a little murmur amongthe nuns.

Then the lady abbess touched gently my bound shoulder, and said that thehurt was but rudely tended and that she must bind it afresh; so shouldshe show her gratitude to one who had bled for the land. And they led meinto the courtyard; and thence to the guest chamber, and there waitedAlswythe.

Now when I looked to see her greet me formally, as in the presence ofthe abbess, she ran into my arms, and I found that we were alone.

Then must she hear and I tell all that had happened to me since weparted; but that was too long for the telling then, for very soon theabbess came with clatter of vessels along the passage, bringing warmwater and salves to bind my small wound afresh.

And in that Alswythe helped her, with many pitying words and softtouches, so that I thought it good to be hurt if such tendance mightever be had. And many things they asked, as of Wulfhere's safety, andthe collier's, and of how I got that wound, and the like. And that lastI could not tell them, marvelling myself when it came, and more that itwas the only one; but I know I smote flatwise once or twice myself inthe heat of fight, so doubtless it was so with others, else wouldAldhelm have been in halves or thereabouts.

Then I told them of my message to the king, and at that Alswytherejoiced. And the abbess said that doubtless the king would reward themessenger, and what reward would I ask an he did so?

Now there was only one reward to me in all the world, and for answer Itook Alswythe's hand, all wet with the water she bathed my hurt with,and kissed it. On which the maiden blushed, and looked down, but theabbess laughed softly, saying, "Verily, I thought so," and then seemedto choke a little, turning away from us. And Alswythe did not draw awayher hand from mine, but let her cheek rest for a moment against my head,and so there was a little silence.

Then the abbess turned round again, and her eyes were bright, but theshine was of tears in them, and she spoke briskly.

"Now must you get hence, Heregar, my son, and go your way to the kingwith all haste, so shall you be back the sooner. Give him a scarf tobind that wound, Alswythe; so shall it seem an honour and not a scar."

So there was a little leave taking, but not much, though enough, and Iwent from the nunnery with Alswythe's white and red and gold scarf overmy shoulder; gay enough to look at, but no gayer than the heart beneath it.

And there, waiting for me in the street, was my tail, armed and drawn upin line of fours to see me back to the abbey. So I went there at thehead of them, with more shouting of people.

There was Wulfhere sitting on the doorsteps of the great door, having abag in his hand, and when I got up to him, he thrust it out to me,saying "largess", and that I was glad enough to understand.

So I put my hand into the bag, and crying, "Here is withal to drink toSomerset and Dorset shoulder to shoulder," scattered the silver penniesamong them, and so left them without any order among them at all, thoughshoulder to shoulder certainly.

"Whence came all those pennies?" I asked, for we had no store at all tocast away.

"From Eanulf and Ealhstan," said Wulfhere, laughing. "They came to me,and saying that they were sore jealous, and minded to have good causetherefor, gave me this that you might carry off all well to the end."

And that was good of them, for else I know not how I should have leftthe men without more speech making.

Just then came the ealdorman into the hall where we were, and laughing,asked me if I meant to take all that following to Salisbury. But I onlywanted the standard guards who were left, and Aldhelm, as one who hadfought as such. This I had told Wulfhere before, so that I was notsurprised when I heard that all were ready, and but waiting for me toset off.

Then Eanulf and Osric took me to the bishop, and there gave me writingsto deliver to the king, and also bade me tell all that he asked, in myown way.

And those three saw us set forth, all well mounted, and a goodly companyto look at, the bishop blessing us before we went, and the people andwarriors following and cheering us on our way through the town, and evensome way beyond the walls.

CHAPTER XVII. ALFRED THE ATHELING.

Of our long ride to the king's place there is little to tell. Only thateverywhere the news seemed to have flown before us, and men knew who wewere and what our errand, crowding round us to hear all about thefighting, and to be assured that the Danes had truly gone. And greatcheer made they for us everywhere, so that we were treated as princesalmost.

Therefore, that was a merry ride and a pleasant in the early Juneweather, and we were ever cheerful, for it so happened, as may have beenalready seen, that no one of us had lost close friend or kin in thebattles, but had the rather gained much. Yet maybe we were the only onesof whom that might be said; for mixed with the joy was mourning over allthe land. And of all my company, I had the most cause to belighthearted; so that for all I had gained I thought the hard things Ihad gone through were well worth the bearing. Ever, therefore, have Ijudged him the happiest who out of hardship gains rest; for he bestknows its worth.

So at last we came to Salisbury town, and that was full of a brilliantcompany: the courtiers of the king, and their following again. Yet, forall their magnificence, thanks to our good bishop's gifts, we showedwell as we rode into the streets, and I think were envied by manybecause the marks of honourable war were yet on us; so that the menspoke of Aldhelm's crushed headpiece, or Wulfhere's gashed shield thatbore the mark of the axe that he stopped from me, or my riven mail thatAlswythe's scarf would scarcely hide, and Wislac's broken crest.

And if they looked from us to our men, there was yet more of the like tospeak about; for not one of the standard guard had been scatheless fromheavy weapon play.

Being thus marked we were easy to be known, and hardly had we drawn reinat the great hostelry where we should wait till the king summoned us,when a thane came to me, asking if we were from bishop or ealdorman. Andwhen I said we were so, bearing letters from them, he bade us to theking's presence at once, tarrying for nothing, as we were waited for.

Fain would we have washed away the stains of travel; but he was urgent,saying that the king's word brooked no delay. Therefore, leaving ourhorses with the people of the inn, we followed him, marching in order,to the great house where Ethelwulf was.

Here were guards and many thanes, and I must show the tokens given me,before we might enter, while our thane stood by, impatient at theformalities.

Those over, we came to a greet hall high-ceiled with oak, and carvedeverywhere, and strewn with sweet sedges, and on the high place sat theking and queen and one of the athelings.

Now I had never seen the king before, but I thought him like all that Ihad heard of in stories. For he sat in his purple robes, ermine-trimmed,having on a little gold crown over his long, curling hair, and hisgloves and shoes were of cloth of gold, curiously wrought with pearls,while at his feet sat a page, holding a cushion whereon lay sceptre andorb.

But I looked to see the face of a warrior under the gold circle of theking, and therein was disappointed; for his face was kind and gentle, asmany a good warrior's has been in time of peace, but lacked those lineswhich a man might know would harden into grimness and strength in timeof need. And I thought that Ealhstan was like a king, and Ethelwulf likea bishop rather.

Yet by the king's side, leaning on his chair, was one whom I then notednot, having eyes only for his father--Alfred the Atheling, who, to mymind, is both warrior and saint, as though Ethelwulf, his father, andEalhstan, his teacher, had each taught him the properties of the other,making a perfect king.

Now, while I looked, our guide went and made obeisance before the king,telling him of our coming, and at that the face of Ethelwulf lighted up,and he called to us to come near and give our message. And I saw thequeen clasp her hands, as preparing to hear things all too heavy for alady's ear, while the atheling stood up and gazed eagerly at us. Then,too, over all the court was deep silence, as they made a lane throughwhich we must pass to reach the throne, and our feet seemed to make allthe sound there was.

So we tramped up, and bowed low before the king, who ran his eyes overus, though not as a captain: but as one who knows men of all sorts well,and is accustomed to judge their faces.

Then he said to me; "You are Heregar, the bishop's standard bearer. Wehave heard of you as such, and welcome you, knowing you must bring goodnews, as your face tells me."

"I am Heregar, Lord King," I answered, "and I bring good news--writtenin these which I am to give into your own hand."

Then the king smiled a little, and signed the atheling to take theletters, and give them him.

But I, not knowing court ways, must needs think this beside my duty, andsaid quickly, not knowing to whom I spoke; "Pardon me, Thane, I am togive these into the king's own hand," and so stepped past him, holdingout the letters to Ethelwulf.

And at that the atheling laughed outright, which was strange to me inthe king's presence, saying, "Not so far wrong, standard bearer, if notvery polite;" and so stepped back to his place, still laughing.

But Ethelwulf did not notice this, having taken the letters eagerly fromme, and broken open the first that came.

Now when he had read the first few lines, he looked up, and reading fromthe letter, which doubtless told him the names of the bearers--"Heregar I know," he said; "which is Wulfhere?"

Then Wulfhere bowed, and the king asked for Wislac and Aldhelm, and thenfor each of the men in turn. And when each had answered, he looked hardat us, still holding the letter open, but saying nothing, and then fellto reading again. So we must stand still till all those letters were read.

Presently he took one, and reading the outside, gave it to the atheling,saying it was to him, and went on reading. That the atheling took, andas he read, looked at us, and it seemed particularly at me, though Ithought nothing of that.

At last the king finished, and turned to a tall, noble-looking warriorwho stood very near the dais, bidding him treat us with all honour, andsee to our lodging near him while we were at court. Shortly, he said, hewould speak to us of all we could tell him.

Then he held out his ungloved hand to us, which the atheling made asmiling sign for me to kiss, and that we all did, and then he lookedpleasantly at us, and went his way from the hall, followed by his closeattendants, with the queen and the atheling.

So soon as the king was gone, the talk began all over the hall, and mostof all they crowded round us to learn what we could tell them; but thattall thane, whose name was Ceorle, came and took us away, telling therest jestingly that they should have the second telling of the news, butthat the king must have the first. And so he took us to guest chambersin his own house, and there left us in charge of his steward, treatingus four thanes with all honour, and our men, as became their standing,among his own best men.

At least, this last was but for a short time, for the lay brethren cameto me, looking oddly at me, and saying that they were in a strait; for,being lay brethren first, and warriors after, they knew not how to joinin the talk and idle jests of the servants and housecarles. Moreover,they said that their vows obliged them to certain duties of prayer. Andthis I thought was honest of them, for many a lay brother would, when hefound that I noted not their state, have broken out of bounds gladly,for the time.

So I sent for the steward, and asked him where they might be bestowed,and after a little thought, he said that the abbot, who had a followingof honest housecarles, would take them in; and that he managed for us,and afterwards told me that Ealhstan's men had gained great praise, bothfor themselves and the bishop, by their ways in the abbey.

This is a little thing: but I tell it because it shows what sort of manBishop Ealhstan was. For even over these rough warriors he had gainedsuch a power for good that he had made of them all he wished--sturdychampions of the faith, both bodily and spiritually.

So when those three were gone elsewhere our only serving man was mycollier, and well was he treated in Ceorle's house.

We bided quietly there all the rest of that day and that night, and thenin the morning were bidden to speak with the king, Ceorle taking us fourhimself and sending one to find the lay brethren and Dudda.

The king sat with Alfred the Atheling in a private chamber, no other butCeorle being beside him while we were there. And I was a littlefrightened about my putting aside the young prince now, for I knew whohe was from Ceorle. But he had a pleasant look and greeting for us as wecame in. So also had Ethelwulf himself, who seemed less stately thanyesterday when he sat in his royal attire in full court.

Richly dressed he was now, with a gold circlet on his head and greatgold bracelets on his arms; but he was in no high place, only sittingeasily in a carved and cushioned chair, while the atheling sat on asettle by the window.

The letters I had brought lay open on the table at the king's elbow, andhis hand was on them, and there were other writings scattered about;great ones with red seals hanging thereto--made no doubt by the goldsignet which stood close by in its open casket.

"Come near, Thanes," the king said in his deep, quiet voice. "Let ustalk together of this matter as friends, for a useless king were I butfor such as you who keep my throne from the blows of enemies."

"Stay, Father," said Alfred the Atheling, starting up. "Let me writewhile the thanes speak," and he gathered up pens and such, and a roll ofparchment, sitting down at the table and then holding pen ready, andlooking at us.

The king smiled at him and his haste, and said, "Verily, Thanes, youmust mind your words if Alfred writes them down, for he will ever keeprecords of tales such as yours, saying that they are for men to readhereafter."

But that had no terrors for us, seeing that we had a plain tale to tell,truth and nothing more. So, as Ceorle bid us, we four sat down by thewindow, and the king asked me to tell my story from the first.

So I began by saying that I had seen the landing of the Danes at Stert,and warned the watchmen of the levy.

There Alfred stopped me, holding up his pen suddenly.

"Tell us, Thane, of the Watchet landing," he said.

And when I began to tell of that he looked up again, with his eyesdancing, and asked me how I came on Quantock hill.

Thereat the king laughed a little, saying that Alfred should have been alawman, and the atheling said that, with his father's help, he meant tobe such, and a good one.

And that he has become, for the laws he has given us will last, as itseems to me, till the name of Saxon has departed.

Then I was a little in doubt what to say, and the king saw this. So hetold me kindly that he had had very full accounts written by the bishopand ealdormen; but now both he and the atheling would fain hear aboutmyself; that is, if my friends already knew all, and if I would not heedCeorle.

Now I saw that I must speak more of myself than I wished, and would fainhave been excused, saying something of that sort. But the atheling askedme to think of them as friends who would feel for me, saying, too, thatof my own history he would not write, and so kindly did he urge me,drawing me on, that at last I had told him all from the beginning of mytroubles, even to the time when I rode with Alswythe into Glastonburyand sought the bishop.

"That is well told," said Alfred, when I had finished so far, and theking sighed a little, but left all the speaking to his son.

"Now, Wulfhere," he went on, "it is your turn," and so made the oldwarrior take up the tale; but he bade him begin at the first fight.

However, Wulfhere must needs go back to the war arrow business, and thento the staying of the flight at Cannington, and in this Alfred did notstop him, though I thought it more than needed.

So he told all his tale, even to the slaying of the berserk, and thingslike that. And as he told of the breaking of the ring, and our standinside of it, Alfred the Atheling wrote fast, and presently he badeWulfhere cease, and going to a corner took down a harp, while his fathersmiled on him, and tuning it, broke out into a wondrous war song thatmade our hearts beat fast, for we seemed to feel that it was full of thevery shout and ring of battle inside our circle of foes, and we were asmen who looked on and saw our own deeds over again, only made moreglorious by the hand of the poet and the voice of the singer.

So that when he ended the king's eyes flashed, and Ceorle's face was redand good to look at with a war light on it, and Wislac shouted, as I hadnearly done.

But at that sound, strange in the king's presence, we all started, andWislac seemed abashed.

"Truly, Lord King," he said humbly, "I could not help it."

"Almost had I done as you did," said the kindly king. "Alfred must bearthe blame. Now shall you tell your story."

But Wislac said he had nought to add to Wulfhere's tale, save thatAldhelm here had saved him at his own cost, and that he had had,moreover, as much fighting as he was like ever to want.

But even from him Alfred gained many things about the fighting, and fromAldhelm also, and these he wrote down.

Thus we all told our tales, and they were long in the telling, so thatwhen Aldhelm had finished, the king rose up, blaming Alfred gently forthe long sitting, saying, however, that he had feared somewhat of thesort, but that doubtless the thanes were more wearied than either of theother three who had listened.

"Now," he said, "well have you four thanes deserved of me and of all,and you shall not say that the king is ungrateful. And I think that eachof you has said less of your own selves than might be said, or, indeed,than is said in these letters. Now have Ceorle and I and my councilspoken of this matter, and we have thought of rewards fitting for theshield wall of the standard."

Then would we thank the king; but he bade us wait for a little, puttinghis hand on those great parchments with the seals. One of these he tookand gave to Aldhelm.

"This is to your father, confirming his rights of the land he holds ofme to him and his heirs for ever, by reason of your good service. Yet isthere a little blame to you from the way in which you found a foremostplace, though much praise for the holding thereof and in your manner ofending that quarrel."

So Aldhelm took the deed and kissed the king's hand in token of homage,going to his place very glad, for this was what his father desired mostof all.

Then the king beckoned Wislac and gave him also a deed like Aldhelm's,granting him the lordship of the manor of Goring on the Thames, and thatwas a good reward to the stout Mercian, who thanked the king, sayingthat he wotted not how his majesty knew what he would have most wished.Whereupon the king laughed, saying that kings knew more than men gavethem credit for, and so Wislac did homage, and sat down.

Then Ethelwulf looked at Wulfhere, and said; "Wulfhere, my old warrior,I know not rightly what to do with you, for you are a lonely man, and Ithink that a place in my court would not suit you. Nor would you care tohold a manor in a strange place. Wait a little, and we will think it over."

Now at that Wulfhere looked glad, for I think he feared rather thandesired reward.

Now came my turn, and my face flushed, and I was a little frightened,for there was but one thing I wanted, and I feared that that might not be.

But the king made a step towards me and took me by the hand, lookinghard at me.

"Heregar," he said, "yours has been a strange story, and from beginningto end you have been first in this victory that will gain us peace formany years to come. Moreover you have suffered wrong, being punished forevil falsely laid to your charge on my account. And that I must show allmen to be untrue, and that I, the king, hold it so. Now shall you chooseyour own reward."

Then was I sorely abashed, not knowing how to say what I longed for, andthe king stood waiting a little. And maybe I should never have got itout, but the atheling looked up, and said:

"May I speak for you, Heregar?"

And so plainly did I see that he knew all, that I asked him to do so,and he came beside me and said; "Heregar needs but one thing, my father,and that is the hand of the maiden he loves--Alswythe the daughter ofMatelgar, and your ward since her father was slain."

"Are you so foolish as to ask no more than that?" said the king, smiling.

And on that my tongue was loosed, and I answered; "Aye my Lord the King.If foolish it be to long for the one whom a man loves, and who loveshim, so that he holds her beyond all other reward."

"Then is your request granted," said the king very kindly. "Yet must youhave withal to keep so great a treasure rightly."

Now I had forgotten that I was landless, and well it was for me that theking went on quickly; "So I give you the lands that were Matelgar's, andyour own lands again; and my men, and at my cost, shall build your hallsafresh that the Danes have burnt. And whatever rights were Matelgar's oryour father's shall be confirmed to you and yours for ever. Yet thesethings are but justice, and no reward."

So he paused a little, and I found courage to speak.

"My Lord the King, I need no more than you have given, for love andhonour and lands have come back to me, and withal friendship of thesethree here, and of Ealhstan the Bishop, and of the noble ealdormen;while but for what has befallen I might have been still a carelessthane, living at ease and for naught; but now, having heard Your goodwords, it is enough, and reward fit for any man."

And this I meant from my heart, for no more could I see that any manshould need than this: honour of his fellows and of the king, and loveand lands, and friends. Surely is a man rich in these things.

Yet must Alfred the Atheling add a word.

"Call me your friend also, Heregar, if you will, for fain would I beso," and he held out his strong white hand to take mine.

And it is good to think that, as it were, the grasp of his has neverslackened from that day to this, but that he is my friend still.

Then Ceorle must say likewise, and last of all the king said; "Friend toall my people would I be, and to none more than to those who have riskedlife for the land. Therefore, to you and yours am I friend always, sothat you shall ever think of me as friend first and king after. Nor isit to everyone that I dare say that, Heregar, my friend."

And he took my hand also, as the atheling and Ceorle had taken it.

So was I fain to weep for very joy at all this that had come to me, andmust turn away for a little lest it should be seen.

Then the king spoke cheerfully, as on business.

"Now, Heregar, I have work for you to do in your home; for I would haveno man idle. Here is Watchet town burnt up, and no man left--for itslord is slain--to see that it is built aright, and that each man, orfamily, has his own again. Now, you knew that place well, nor is it veryfar from you. Therefore shall you see to all that, and you shall havewritings from me to back you. But men must know that you yourself havepower there, and, therefore, I make you lord of all Quantock side, fromWatchet stream to Parret, and from the borders of your own land atCannington to Severn shore between those two. And this shall you renderin return for those rights: that you shall be ready at all times to bearthe standard of Wessex, against all comers from over seas, at my bidding."

Now that was the Dragon of Wessex of which the old witch spoke. And lo!those things that had been foretold of me were sooth, and I knelt beforethe king, and swore to bear him this service faithfully.

So the rest bore witness of that oath gladly, rejoicing in the honour,which was in truth to them as well as to me, for I could not have gonethrough aught without them, and if mine was the grip on Ealhstan'sbanner shaft, theirs were the hands that had kept it there.

Then said Ethelwulf; "Choose now one who shall have charge under you ofthe watchings and beacons on your shore."

And straightway I turned to Wulfhere, and begged him to do this for me,and it was good to see the warrior's face light up with gladness as hepromised to give me his help. Doubtless that was what the king had instore for him, for at once he gave him the manor of the Watchet thanewho had been slain, for as it chanced he had no heirs, and the land cameback to the king.

That was the end of a long morning's work, and very kindly did Ethelwulftake his leave of us, saying that we must have these matters confirmedwhen the Witan [xii] met in two days' time.

So we went out, landed men and noble, and with us went the atheling, whotook us to his own lodgings at the abbey, where he would see and speakto our men that he might write yet more from their lips, for he saidthat often it was good to hear what the common sort thought.

And my collier must needs tell him--for he was very pleasant, so thatnone need fear his rank--of Grendel, and also of the saint, whichmightily pleased the atheling. So that often would he call me "Grendel"in sport thereafter, for we grew close friends in the time we bided atSalisbury.

And that seemed long to me, for now would I fain be back at Glastonburywith Alswythe.

Soon Wislac, also, grew tired of the court, and said that he longed forthe deep meadows and lofty trees, and green downs along the clear riverin this June time, and must seek his own home again. But it seemed thatAlfred over-persuaded him, for reasons which he told me not, and he stayed.

We went to the great meeting of the Witan, taking our seats there whenour rights were confirmed to us. And into my hands was put the standardof Wessex by the king himself, and I bore it to the great church, thereto be blessed in the bearing thereof.

And there stood Ealhstan himself in his robes, having come even thatmorning for this very purpose. And that was pleasant, and even as Ishould have most wished. Moreover, my friends, and Alfred, and Ceorlestood by me as if for shield wall at that time, and I was well attended.

Now betimes, in the afternoon, came Alfred the Atheling to me as I satwith Ceorle, talking of the arms of the vikings, and asked me to comeand speak with friends of his, who would not see him save he brought me.

And at that Ceorle laughed, saying that they must be of importance ifthey would deny the prince an audience, making conditions. And Alfredsaid very gravely that they were so, and maybe the only people, save theking and queen, who might delay seeing him.

So I was curious to know who these were. But we left Ceorle stilllaughing. Then Alfred took me to the abbey, and sent one of his men tosay we had come, who, when he returned, bade us into the presence ofthese people.

When we came to a great door, in a part of the abbey where I had notbefore been, he took my arm, and pushed me in first, saying that hewould ensure himself a good reception; and there sat Ealhstan, andbeside him stood Alswythe, smiling at me, and with a little colour inher face.

CHAPTER XVIII. PEACE IN THE LAND.

Now of the wedding in the great church I knew very little, save that Ihad Alswythe beside me, and that Ealhstan married us. And that was all Icared for, heeding naught of the rest.

But the king and the queen were there, and many thanes, while theatheling must needs be a groomsman with my friends, and Ceorle gave awaythe bride on the king's behalf. There, too, was Eanulf, looking verynoble in his court array, beside the king. And the little page in blueand silver who held Alswythe's dress was none other than Turkil,"Grendel's friend" as Alfred called him, whom Alswythe had begged thebishop to bring with him.

There also was Dudda the Collier, clad beyond knowledge by Wislac,holding my helm and sword, and the lay brethren, mail clad for the lasttime, with the white cross painted on their shields and helms. Lustilydid they join in the chanting.

Osric only was not there, but on Alswythe's neck and arms shonepresently wonderfully-wrought collar and bracelets of gold that he hadsent, having had them made from the spoils of that tall viking chiefthat I had slain.

Then was there feasting, and songs of gleemen, and, better still, thatsong of Stert fight sung by Alfred the Atheling himself in full hall.And then had Wislac full excuse for what he did in the king's presence,for at the end all the hall joined in a mighty Wessex war shout. Andthat, said the atheling, was a poet's greatest praise, to have stirredthe hearts of men to forgetfulness of aught but the song.

Now, when we must needs ride away westward, with Wulfhere and Aldhelmfor attendants, and the collier and my lay brethren again for guards,the king gave Alswythe a ring, praying her to spare me to him if needshould be; and she, half weeping, yet proudly, told him that she wouldbe the first to arm me for his service. And the queen kissed her, butthe atheling said that soon he should see us again, for he would ridewith me over the battle-ground, and learn it all, when our hall wasready for a guest.

Then Wislac took leave of us last of all, even as we started, for hesaid he would have no long leave taking. Nor did he know if he must notcome with Alfred to fight the battle over again. And we prayed him to doso, for I loved the quaint sayings and cool valour of thebroad-shouldered thane.

But Eanulf and Ceorle rode with many of the thanes a mile or more withus on our way from the town, and there, having set us fairly off, leftus with hearty good-speeds. But they left one behind, who joined himselfto our little company. And that was Turkil, clad like myself in silvermail, and on a white pony, but with flame-coloured cloak and scarf. Forthat was the atheling's doing, when he knew that "Grendel's friend" wasto be brought up in our hall, to grow into the stout warrior I had bodedhim to be.

Now should my story be ended were it a fairy tale, but it is not that.Well I knew that, happy as I was, the day must come when I must bearforward to battle the golden dragon banner of Wessex, and I cannotrightly tell if I dreaded or longed for that day. Maybe there was amixture of both dread and longing in my thoughts thereof.

But when we came over Brent Knoll, on our way back to my place andAlswythe's at Cannington, there lay the black ships under the holms yet,and there, too, were the burnt walls of our houses, though these wererising up again as the king's men wrought at them. And all the land laywaste and neglected, and, as we rode over Cannington hill, a broken helmrolled from my horse's hoof from among the grass of the roadside. Thosethings brought back to us the memory of war and trouble even in our newhappiness; and there, over the river, was the new-made mound over Elgar,the man who had died for his land, and not in vain.

It was many days since we started from Salisbury town, however, beforewe came to Cannington, and in that time we had sought the house ofTurkil's father, the franklin, lodging with him for a day and night,that we might seek Leofwine the hermit. But him we might not find, forhe was dead, and that grieved me sorely, for I would fain have seen himagain, aye, and if it might be, taken him to live with us.

But he died as the tide went out on the day of Stert fight, and thosewho stood by him say that he had visions of all that befell there.

For many times he called to me as exhorting me; and once, after longsilence, in the gray of early dawn, he rose up, crying, "Up, Ealhstan,up, for the Lord has delivered these heathen into your hands!"

And that was at the time when the bishop had heard those words spoken tohim. And again, once more he roused, even at the time when the Danesdrew off from us at the coming of Osric. He lifted his hands, crying"Victory!" thrice, and then saying very softly, "Heregar, my son," wassilent thereafter till he died at the time of the lowest ebb, only hislips moving as if in prayer. And I remembered the strange voice I hadheard crying round me, and I wept, for I thought how much more waswrought by the prayers of feeble ones than men wot of.

But his prophecy had indeed come true, and though I might not see himmore, the memory of Leofwine is with me always, with his words of wisecounsel that he had spoken to me.

Now of that other one who prophesied in her strange way to me I know nomore, nor did I ever see her again. Gundred the witch, men called her,knowing her well, and fearing her. But she was never seen after theDanes swept over our land, and how she ended none ever knew. I soughther carefully that I might give her shelter and ease for the rest of herdays, but without avail.

All his life long has Dudda the Collier bided with me, serving well androughly, but in all most faithfully, as is his wont. And not many daysafter we came homewards he brought me the berserk's axe to hang in hall,for he had taken it and hidden it when we left the battlefield on theday after the fight. So there it is now, and beside it hangs the ravenflag of the largest ship, for he must needs go with the fishers acrossto the holms, and bring me back the tale of how the last of the Daneshad perished.

And now what am I to say of the years since our hall was built again?Long have they been, and not all happy, for many a time have I had tobear the standard of Wessex against the Danes. Yet Stert fight won ussix years of peace, and after that the Earl Ceorle and I led our leviesand conquered at Wenbury. But that was Wulfhere's last fight, for of hiswounds he might not recover, though we bore him back and tended himcarefully for a month or more. So he lies in God's Acre at Cannington,and is at rest.

Then came long years of fighting, and ever I bore the banner, and everAlswythe set me forth most lovingly, with brave words that should bidewith me till I came back to her. And all the time our hall was safe, forbeyond Parret the Danes came not again.

And to tell of all those fights were too long, or of how Wislac andAldhelm would ever fight beside me as of old, and at last Turkil inAldhelm's place, when that brave thane fell at Wilton, fighting forAlfred the King.

Then were we in Athelney with Alfred, and it was the collier who foundus that place of safety. And thence we went at last to victory again,and now once more the land has rest.

Yet Wislac is with us in Wulfhere's place, for his own land is in Danishhands, and we know not what wars may be yet with them, though we havestood by the king's side when the greatest victory of all was won, andGuthrum the heathen became Athelstan the Christian, and peacefuldivision of the land was made.

So I and Alswythe grow old here in Cannington, seeing our children growup around us. And Alfred the king has our eldest in his court, theretraining him in all things well and wisely. And Turkil is thane ofWatchet, and our son-in-law, much loved by all, well and faithfullytending all my shore as Wulfhere tended it in his time.

So to me and mine after storm has come peace, and with us and the landall is well.

THE END.

i A representative assembly or court of judgment.

ii An outlaw for whose slaying there was a reward, or atleast no penalty.

iii A curved, one-edged sword or war knife.

iv The "Saga of Beowulf" was the great popular poem ofthe Saxon races, and as well known to them as the legends of Robin Hoodto us. The principal episode is the hero's victory over the marsh fiendGrendel.

v Crowland in Lincolnshire, where the saint founded hismonastery.

vi Like the Highland "fiery cross", the signal forrising in arms.

vii The most contemptuous term that could be applied toa Saxon. Its exact force is lost, but may be expressed by "worth nothing."

viii The border of cleared land round a forestsettlement, across which in times of war none might come without soundof horn in warning.

ix The "Saga of Beowulf" as we have it is the work of aChristian editor of King Alfred's time.